Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1887-01-22

in nIOviding bubble institutions for a new
and gro wing commonwealth, the burdens OF
taxation imposed by the state have never
been excessive. Its government has as
rule, been economically administered. The
salaries of it's officers have been moderate.
It's Indebtedness is very small. The per-
csnt9ge of taxation annually levied for state
purposes, rarely large, has been steadily de-
creasing during the past fourteen years,
until, for the present fiscal year. it is less
! than One-half that levied in 1872.
MUNICIPAL DEBTS AND TAXATION.
Bnt not Withstanding this steady reduction
in the percentage of state taxation, the tax
burdens in nearly every county are irksOms.
me rapid and enormous increase OF proper
by valuations has brought no corresponding
decrease in the percentage OF tax levied by
the municipal authorities. In many Coun-
| ties and cities, indeed the tax rates have
steadily increased. Worse than all, too, the
aggregate of municipal Indebtedness is
rapidly and enormously swelling, until It
/ has reached proportions that should alarm
every citizen who has at heart the prosperity
of the state and the Well-being OF It's peo-
| pie.
I called the attention Of the legislature to
this subject, in my biennial message of 1885,
and again in my special message Of 1886,
] and earnestly urged that stringent hmita-
| tons be placed on debt-creat1ng and tax
/ levying authority Of counties, townships and
cities No action was taken, however, and
| the municipal subdivision of the state have
| gone on, voting bonds, and piling up interest
| bearing debts that will, IN a few years, Grip
/ pie and dishearten every energy and aInb1-
| ton of their people, and paralyze ali PUBIC
! Two years ago the municipal indebtedness
| of the state aggregated SO, 95l, S2S. OF this
amount the county Indebtedness aggregated
IS O65. 1889; township, 81, $50, O3O-90i city
So 49,, 436 II; and school district, 2,74S ia
/ so. On the LIST of January, 1887 this dread
/ ful burden of local indebtedness had IN
| creased to S19, 397, s5I, the bonds having
| been voted and issued for purposes and by
/ municipal subdivisions, as follows;
Comfy bonds issued in aid of railroads So $50 400
Township bonds issued in aid Of
tg i bonds issued in aid Of railroads.
IGs5i Gt bono. issuoo AZ! .. . e12Oass
County bonds issued for all other pur. o,-, -,
T6g% 97aih bonds issued for ali other
City R' bonds bonds issued for ali other D1i.
sdR6 Ss District E555.
Total bonds issued for all other
purposes. ..-..-.......s StsS14soSS
Grand total of municipal bonds issued e19 SCI s51
But this is not the end. Since tbs first Of
| January, 1865 period OF two years-Lnu-
nicipal bonds aggregating IN amouns elis-
/ -, 900 have been voted, but are not yet Is
/ sued. These bonds were voted for purposes
and by municipal Subdivisions as follows;
09 2fRas 5SR T2 ISIS IN aia OF railroads.
iq Poa 81 since SS- same date 80 - - L77s6OO
G sHse D sa d4te. - ~. =. ss5OO1
Total railroad bonds.................S11.1l6.6OS
0q0 0a S2Pds 1os98 ad 595 9Saa6 ISL
2ST6a6 P P3Po s9'Sh n eS' jan is5 1856
/ City bonds voted for ether than rail-
| road purposes, since January i Iss5. a141Jt
Total for other than railroad puE-
DOsss----.----...----...-- SIa.4o-
frand total Of bonds voted since Janu-
airy /, l6e5- Sl4sEzzlv0.
| If all the bonds tins voted were issued,
he municipal Indebtedness Of Kansas would
| be as follows:
ounly ~
township ................ s,4l5S95
5Eci iii IA
fetal. $50. SIS 81
1t is hardly probable, however, that half
IF the bonds now voted, but not Jet 1esueds
vii ever Be earned. But the aggregate Of
aur municipal indebtedness, even If one
af Of the bonds voted should never Be
ssueds viii exceed SIS O00,O OOs and It seems
o me- time to put q stop firmly and
thoroughly, 70 this Wa5tful extravaganza.
Vast as are the resources OF our state Won
isrfuI as its growth has been, and bright IS
IL prospects are, neither the produotiVeness
. md Development Of the present, nor the
hopes Of the future, viii justify q e0ntina-
fnce Of such reckless folly IN bOad voting.
RAILROAD BONDS.
It VIII be observed that 81, 0s3, O1S Of the
i. sOuds already Issued, AMI 81, l46, 5J5 Of
ihese voted but not yet issued, have been
TOtsd TO aid in building railroads This
gys6sm Of bonG-Voting to build railroads
I 1sQau tWeFltV gHang anO. and continued for
] asariV decade. Then came q period of
I business and industrial depression, 4oiiOgsd
3y an era OF attempted rspudiatiOn, the
fleets Of which are still lingering IN the
/ sOuEts- Three years ago smother spideHlic
II railroad bond-Foting broke cut, AID has
--.-.s s-.---- .--...a.L..--- -..-L--